Open mike 16/09/2024
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6:00 am, September 16th, 2024 - 74 comments
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- Managing on-street parking for local benefit
This guest post by Malcolm McCracken originally appeared on his blog Better Things Are Possible, and is republished here by kind permission. The case for Parking Benefit Districts: managing on-street parking for local benefit Parking is often the centre of debate in our cities; particularly on-street car parks, who gets ...47 mins ago - Too much haste & waste in Simeon Brown’s need for speed
Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāLong story short, the Government’s myopia of only choosing transport policies that reduce travel times means we’re missing out on the health benefits of more cycling and walking, along with the health cost savings from fewer accidents, less pollution and mentally healthier ways of getting ...2 hours ago - What seemed so simple is now so complex
The Health NZ rescue that seemed so simple back in July was presented to a Select Committee yesterday as a complex challenge that could take some years to sort out. In July, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said Health NZ was on track to record a deficit of $1.4 billion for ...4 hours ago
- The utterances of Shane Jones
Let us consider the utterances of Shane Jones.Let us consider the derogatory terms of abuseNow is not the time for Green Wombles, it's black and white decision making.We will stand with the energy industry and ensure they are not monstered by Green Termites nibbling away at our economic capital.The Green ...16 hours ago - Ukrainian militia receives defective shipment of pagers that just send and receive messages
There’s been a major setback for one Ukrainian-backed militia on the Russian border, after the group ordered a large shipment of pagers to use as improvised explosive devices. The plan was to litter the pagers throughout abandoned homes and buildings in hopes of wounding Russian soldiers. But upon arrival of ...17 hours ago - A constitutional shitshow
Last month, we learned that the government was half-arsing its anti-gang legislation, adding a significant, pre-planned, BORA-abusing amendment at the committee stage, avoiding all the usual scrutiny processes. But it gets worse. Because having done it once, they're now planning to recall the bill in order to add another such ...18 hours ago - Political Round Up
Note: An earlier version of this article noted Levy was a “party time Health NZ commissioner” - this has been updated - forgive my Freudian slip.Dr Lester Levy is charging $320,000 a year to be a part time Health NZ commissioner. Rachel Thomas reports that Levy is still teaching 2 ...22 hours ago - Postcard from Sydney: Southwest and City Metro extension
This is a guest post from Sydney reader Nik Clement After 2 years in Auckland I moved back to Sydney just over a year ago. While in Auckland, I went to the opening of Puhinui station and used it a fair bit, living in Manukau Central and being able ...1 day ago
- Tolling revolt brewing in National heartland
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 18:Locals gathered in Woodville last night to protest at the National-ACT-NZ First Government’s decision to toll the new road linking the Manawatu and Hawkes Bay, saying ...1 day ago - Government directs Te Puni Kōkiri to conduct Māori Language Week in English
The coalition government has issued a directive to Te Puni Kōkiri, the Ministry of Māori Development, instructing them that – in the interests of clear communication – they are to conduct this year’s Māori Language Week primarily or exclusively in English. The directive is in line with the Government’s policy ...2 days ago - Government celebrates fact that New Zealand’s healthcare is so good people are queuing up for it a...
At yesterday’s post-cabinet press conference, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, flanked by his Health Minister Shane Reti and someone we can’t independently verify was a real sign language interpreter, announced that he had some positive news for the country. “Alright team, I’m just going to hand over to uh, Dr. Shane, ...2 days ago - Heartwarming: Thoughtful driver uses indicator to tell you what they’ve just done
It’s 4:10pm in the morning, and you’re in the middle lane heading north on the great southern motorway of our nation’s capital, Auckland. There are no cars directly in front of you, but quite a few in the lane to your left. Suddenly, without warning, a black ute enters your ...2 days ago - NPC teams will now be allowed to actually use the Ranfurly Shield in play
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I arrived home with a head full of fresh ideas about mindfulness and curbing impulsive aspects in my character.On the second night home I grabbed a piece of ginger and began swiftly slicing it on our industrial strength mandolin, the one I have learned through painful experience to treat with ...2 days ago - More Notes From Stinky Town
Good morning, folks. Another wee note from a chilly Rotorua morning that looks much clearer than yesterday. As I write, the pink glow in the east is slowly growing, and soon, the palest of blue skies should become a bit more royal.A couple of people mentioned yesterday that I should ...2 days ago - Make it make sense: why axe valuable local projects?
Last week, Matt looked at how the government wants to pour a huge chunk of civic infrastructure funding for a generation into one mega-road up North, at huge cost and huge opportunity cost. A smaller but no less important feature of the National Land Transport Plan devised by Minister of Transport ...2 days ago
- Driving blind at higher speeds
An open letter by experts about plans to raise speed limits warns the “tragic consequence will be more New Zealanders losing their lives or suffering severe injury, along with a substantial burden on the nation's healthcare and rehabilitation services”. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s ...2 days ago - 2024’s unusually persistent warmth
This is a re-post from The Climate Brink My inaugural post on The Climate Brink 18 months ago looked at the year 2024, and found that it was likely to be the warmest year on record on the back of a (than forecast) El Nino event. I suggested “there is a real chance ...2 days ago - National plan for 2000 more Kiwis a year in prison
Open for allYesterday, Luxon congratulated his government on a job well done with emergency housing numbers, but advocates have been saying it‘s likely many are on the streets and sleeping in cars.Q&A featured some of the folks this weekend - homeless and in cars. Yes.The government’s also confirmed they stopped ...2 days ago
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Hi,On most days I try to go on a walk through nature to clear my head from the horrors of life. Because as much as I like people, I also think it’s incredibly important to get very far away from them. To be reminded that there are also birds, lizards, ...2 days ago - Jacqui Van Der Kaay: Politicians need to lift their game
Declining trust in New Zealand politicians should be a warning to them to lift their game. Results from the New Zealand Election Study for the 2023 election show that the level of trust in politicians has once again declined. Perhaps it is not surprising that the results, shared as part ...3 days ago - Police say they won’t respond to bomb threats anymore as ‘it’s never anything’
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster says that New Zealand’s police force will no longer respond to bomb threats, in an attempt to cut costs and redirect police resources to less boring activities. Coster said that threat response and bomb disposal was a “fairly obvious” area for downsizing, as bomb threats are ...3 days ago - A dysfunctional watchdog
The reality of any right depends on how well it is enforced. But as The Post points out this morning, our right to official information isn't being enforced very well at all: More than a quarter of complaints about access to official information languish for more than a year, ...3 days ago
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Since taking office, the climate-denier National government has gutted agricultural emissions pricing, ended the clean car discount, repealed water quality standards which would have reduced agricultural emissions, gutted the clean car standard, killed the GIDI scheme, and reversed efforts to reduce pollution subsidies in the ETS - basically every significant ...3 days ago
- Vegas Baby
Good morning, lovely people. Don’t worry. This isn’t really a newsletter, just a quick note. I’m sitting in our lounge, looking out over a gloomy sky. Although being Rotorua, the view is periodically interrupted by steam bursting from pipes and dispersing—like an Eastern European industrial hellscape during the Cold War.Drinking ...3 days ago - Why Entrust Needs New Leadership
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- London Bridge is falling down
In the UK, London is the latest of council groups to signal potential bankruptcy.That’s after Birmingham, Britain’s second largest city, went bankrupt in June, resulting in reduced sanitation services, libraries cut, and dimmed streetlights.Some in the city described things as “Dickens” like.Please, Sir, Can I have some more?For families with ...3 days ago - Govt may kick elderly out of hospitals
The Government is considering how to shunt elderly people out of hospitals, and also how to cut their access to other support. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāKia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Monday, ...3 days ago - Getting the nephs off the couch
The so-called “Prince of the Provinces”, Shane Jones, went home last Friday. Perhaps not quite literally home, more like 20 kilometres down the road from his house on the outskirts of Kerikeri. With its airport, its rapidly growing (mostly retired) population, and a commercial centre with all the big retail ...3 days ago
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Far, far away from here lives our King. Some of his subjects can be quite the forelock tuggers, but plenty of us are not like that, and why don't I wheel out my favourite old story once more about Kiwi soldiers in the North African desert?Field Marshal Montgomery takes offence ...4 days ago - Literal clowns are running the place, we must put a timeout on this stupidity… right Aotearoa?
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- Kōrero Mai – Speak to Me.
Good morning all you lovely people. 🙂I woke up this morning, and it felt a bit like the last day of school. You might recall from earlier in the week that I’m heading home to Rotorua to see an old friend who doesn’t have much time. A sad journey, but ...5 days ago - Winning ways
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- Using blunt instruments and magical thinking to ignore evidence of harm
The abrupt cancellations and suspensions of Government spending also caused private sector hiring, spending, and investment to freeze up for the first six months of the year. Photo: Lynn Grieveson / The KākāThis week we learned:The new National/ACT/NZ First Coalition Government ignored advice from Treasury that it didn’t have to ...5 days ago - Is This A Dagger Which I See Before Me: A Review and Analysis of The Rings of Power Episode 5 (Seaso...
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The background to In Open Seas: How the New Zealand Labour Government Went Wrong:2017-2023Not in Narrow Seas: The Economic History of Aotearoa New Zealand, published in 2020, proved more successful than either I or the publisher (VUP, now Te Herenga Waka University Press) expected. I had expected that it would ...6 days ago - The Hoon around the week to Sept 13
The podcast above of the weekly ‘Hoon’ webinar for paying subscribers on Thursday night features co-hosts and talking about the week’s news with:The Kākā’s climate correspondent on the latest climate science on rising temperatures and the climate implications of the US Presidential elections; and special guests Janet ...6 days ago
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1. Upon receiving evidence that school lunches were doing a marvellous job of improving outcomes for students, David Seymour did what?a. Declared we need much more of this sort of good news and poured extra resources and funding into them b. Emailed Atlas network to ask what to do next c. Cut ...6 days ago - Dangerous ground
The Waitangi Tribunal has reported back on National's proposed changes to gut the Marine and Coastal Area Act and steal the foreshore and seabed for its greedy fishing-industry donors, and declared it to be another huge violation of ti Tiriti: The Waitangi Tribunal has found government changes to the ...6 days ago
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In 2016, the then-National government signed the Paris Agreement, committing Aotearoa to a 30 (later 50) percent reduction in emissions by 2030. When questioned about how they intended to meet that target with their complete absence of effective climate policy, they made a lot of noise about how it was ...6 days ago
- Treasury warned Govt lower debt limits meant less ‘productivity-enhancing investment’
6 days ago - Is the Media Complicit?
This is a long read. Open to all.SYNOPSIS: Traditional media is at a cross roads. There is a need for those in the media landscape, as it stands, to earn enough to stay afloat, but also come across as balanced and neutral to keep its audiences.In America, NYT’s liberal leaning ...6 days ago - Black Friday
It's Black Friday, the end of the weekYou take my hand and hold it gently up against your cheekIt's all in my head, it's all in my mindI see the darkness where you see the lightSong by Tom OdellFriday the 13th, don’t be afraid.No, really, don’t. Everything has felt a ...6 days ago - Weekly Roundup 13-September-2024
Ooh, Friday the thirteenth. Spooky! Is that why certain zombie ideas have been stalking the landscape this week, like the Mayor’s brainwave for a motorway bridge from Kauri Point to Point Chev? Read on and find out. This roundup, like all our coverage, is brought to you by the Greater ...6 days ago
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Open access notables Early knowledge but delays in climate actions: An ecocide case against both transnational oil corporations and national governments, Hauser et al., Environmental Science & Policy: Cast within the wide context of investigating the collusion at play between powerful political-economic actors and decision-makers as monopolists and debates about ‘the modern ...7 days ago
- What it is
I liked what Kieran McAnulty had to say about the Treaty Principles bill this morning so much I've written it down and copied it out for you. He was saying that rather than let this piece of ordure spend six months in Select Committee, the Prime Minister could stop making such ...7 days ago - A government-funded hate campaign
Cabinet discussed National's constitutionally and historically illiterate "Treaty Principles Bill" this week, and decided to push on with it. The bill will apparently receive a full six month select committee process - unlike practically every other policy this government has pushed, and despite the fact that if the government is ...7 days ago
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- Kamala Harris Did Something Unthinkable
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- David Seymour is such a loser
For paid subscribersNot content with siphoning off $230,000,000 of taxpayers money for his hobby projects - and telling everyone his passion is education and early childcare - an intersection painfully coincidental to the interests of wealthy private families like Sean Plunkett’s1 backers, the Wright Family, Seymour is back in the ...7 days ago - Cross-party consensus: there’s no pipeline without good faith
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- ACC wants to administer inflation at more than double the RBNZ’s target rate
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1 week ago - Treaty Bill “a political stunt”
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon appears to have given ACT Leader David Seymour more than he has been admitting in the proposals to go forward with a Treaty Principles Bill.All along, Luxon has maintained that the Government is proceeding with the Bill to honour the coalition agreement.But that is quite specific.It ...1 week ago
- An average 219 NZers migrated each day in July
Kia ora. Long stories short, here’s my top six things to note in Aotearoa’s political economy around housing, climate and poverty on Wednesday, September 11:Annual migration of New Zealanders rose to a record-high 80,963 in the year to the end of July, which is more than double its pre-Covid levels.Two ...1 week ago - What you’re wanting to win more than anything is The Narrative
Hubris is sitting down on election day 2016 to watch that pig Trump get his ass handed to him, and watching the New York Times needle hover for a while over Hillary and then move across to Trump where it remains all night to your gathering horror and dismay. You're ...1 week ago - National’s automated lie machine
The government has a problem: lots of people want information from it all the time. Information about benefits, about superannuation, ACC coverage and healthcare, taxes, jury service, immigration - and that's just the routine stuff. Responding to all of those queries takes a lot of time and costs a lot ...1 week ago
- Christopher Luxon: A Man of “Faith” and “Compassion” Speaks on the Treaty Pr...
Synopsis: Today - we explore two different realities. One where National lost. And another - which is the one we are living with here. Note: the footnote on increased fees/taxes may be of interest to some readers.Article open.Subscribe nowIt’s an alternate timeline.Yesterday as news broke that the central North Island ...1 week ago - Member’s Day
Today is a Member's Day. First up is the third reading of Dan Bidois' Fair Trading (Gift Card Expiry) Amendment Bill, which will be followed by the committee stage of Deborah Russell's Family Proceedings (Dissolution for Family Violence) Amendment Bill. This will be followed by the second readings of Katie ...1 week ago
- Northern Expressway Boondoggle
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has been soaring high with his hubris of getting on and building motorways but some uncomfortable realities are starting to creep in. Back in July he announced that the government was pushing on with a Northland Expressway using an “accelerated delivery strategy” The Coalition Government is ...1 week ago
- Never Enough
However much I'm falling downNever enoughHowever much I'm falling outNever, never enough!Whatever smile I smile the mostNever enoughHowever I smile I smile the mostSongwriters: Robert James Smith / Simon Gallup / Boris Williams / Porl ThompsonToday in Nick’s Kōrero:A death in the Emergency Department at Rotorua Hospital.A sad homecoming and ...1 week ago - Question Two of The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50)
Kia ora.Last month I proposed restarting The Kākā Project work done before the 2023 election as The Kākā Project of 2026 for 2050 (TKP 26/50), aiming to be up and running before the 2025 Local Government elections, and then in a finalised form by the 2026 General Elections.A couple of ...1 week ago
- Why is God Obsessed with Spanking?
Hi,If you’ve read Webworm for a while, you’ll be aware that I’ve spent a lot of time writing about horrific, corrupt megachurches and the shitty men who lead them.And in all of this writing, I think some people have this idea that I hate Christians or Christianity. As I explain ...1 week ago
- Govt must act to avoid the worst of NIWA’s climate projections
New climate projections from NIWA underscore how urgently climate action is needed. ...18 hours ago - Release: More job losses as Government fails on manufacturing
The Government is failing the manufacturing sector with no plan for its future. ...18 hours ago - Tāmaki-Makaurau MP Urges Immediate Support for Families Impacted by Mill Closure
Te Pāti Māori Member of Parliament for Tāmaki Makaurau is urging a full wraparound of services to intervene quickly with families affected by today's announced closure of the Penrose Mill. Seventy-five people are set to lose their jobs right on the eve of Christmas. "I want to extend my thoughts ...19 hours ago
- Release: Sentencing package misses the mark by a mile
Sentencing policy announced by Minister Paul Goldsmith today is anything but new, merely window dressing to make up for backwards violent crime statistics under the National Government. ...2 days ago
- Release: Seymour’s Ministry of Double Standards
David Seymour doesn’t stick to his own standards of good regulation despite having a multimillion-dollar vanity ministry set up to do so. ...2 days ago
- Release: Labour Leader to travel to UK
Labour Leader Chris Hipkins will travel to the United Kingdom this week to attend the annual UK Labour Party conference in Liverpool and meet with members of the new Labour Government. ...2 days ago
- Govt Warned – Increasing Snapper Quota Breaches Fisheries Settlement
An imminent decision to increase the total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for snapper would be a direct violation of the first-ever Treaty Settlement and inevitably breach Te Tiriti o Waitangi, says Te Pāti Māori. Te Ohu Kaimoana has sought a High Court declaration to prevent the Minister of Oceans and ...3 days ago
- Govt attacks workers’ rights once again
Today’s announcement from the Minister of Workplace Relations emphasises how deep in the pocket of big business this Government really is. ...4 days ago
- Release: Māori business not a priority for this Govt
Scrapping the Progressive Procurement programme designed to support and grow Māori businesses is a missed opportunity. ...4 days ago
- Release: March 15 inquiry grants cut by Government
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith has cut grants helping overseas family of victims to attend the next phase of the Coronial Inquiry into the 15 March 2019 Christchurch Masjidain Attack. ...4 days ago
- Minister of Injustice seeks to Entrench largest land confiscation in History
The Waitangi Tribunal has released an Urgent Report on the Government’s proposed amendments to the Takutai Moana Act 2011. The report calls out Paul Goldsmith’s proposal for what it is: a “gross breach of the Treaty” and an “illegitimate exercise of kāwanatanga”. The Tribunal is recommending the Crown step down ...6 days ago
- Takutai Moana changes another assault on Te Tiriti
The Government must abandon its Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act interventions after the Waitangi Tribunal found it was committing gross breaches of the Treaty. ...6 days ago
- Greens call on Govt to leave Te Reo in schools alone
As Te Wiki o te Reo Māori approaches, the Government is considering deprioritising teaching Te Reo Māori in our schools. ...6 days ago
- Govt cannot ignore racism
The Government’s directive to the public service to ignore race is nothing more than a dog whistle and distraction from the structural racism we need to address. ...6 days ago
- Release: Lemauga Lydia Sosene to take medical leave
Labour’s Mangere MP Lemauga Lydia Sosene has been diagnosed with breast cancer and will shortly take medical leave. ...6 days ago
- Potential intelligence sharing with Israel must be investigated
Concerns have been raised that our spy arrangements may mean that intelligence is being shared between Aotearoa and Israel. An urgent inquiry must be launched in response to this. ...7 days ago
- Release: Charter schools undermine our education system
The Government is taking a wrecking ball to our public education system by reinstating charter schools. ...7 days ago
- Youngest MP to travel to Canada to accept Politician of the Year Award
Aotearoa’s Youngest Member of Parliament, and Te Pāti Māori MP, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, will travel to Montreal to accept the One Young World Politician of the Year Award next week. The One Young World Politician of the Year Award was created in 2018 to recognise the most promising young politicians between ...7 days ago
- Greens celebrate huge step forward for ADHD community
The Greens welcome today’s long-coming announcement by Pharmac of consultation to remove the special authority renewal criteria for methylphenidate, dexamfetamine and modafinil and to fund lisdexamfetamine. ...7 days ago
- Release: Millions to be spent dividing NZ for no reason
The National Party is wasting millions of dollars allowing David Seymour’s Treaty Principals Bill to be drafted and go to Select Committee. ...7 days ago
- Release: New Zealanders departing our shores at a record rate
The Migration figures released by Stats NZ today show National is continuing to drive Kiwis away from New Zealand in record numbers. ...7 days ago
- Te Tai Tokerau MP Slams Govt Overreach in Scrapping Māori Wards
Mema Paremata for Te Tai Tokerau, Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, has reflected on the decisions made by the councils of the North amidst the government’s push to remove Māori Wards and weaken mana whenua representation. “Actions taken by the Kaipara District Council to remove Māori Wards are the embodiment of the eradication ...1 week ago
- Govt already seeking advice on Treaty referendum
On one hand, the Prime Minister has assured Aotearoa that his party will not support the Treaty Principles Bill beyond first reading, but on the other, his Government has already sought advice on holding a referendum on our founding document. ...1 week ago
- Release: Aged care will be worse off if redesign rushed
New Zealanders needing aged care support and the people who care for them will be worse off if the Government pushes through a flawed and rushed redesign of dementia and aged care. ...1 week ago
- Release: Govt fails hundreds of workers as mills close
Labour is devastated at news hundreds of workers are set to lose their jobs following the closure of Winstone Pulp mills. ...1 week ago
- Job losses from mill closures consequence of Govt inaction
Hundreds of jobs lost as a result of pulp mill closures in the Ruapehu District are a consequence of government inaction in addressing the shortfalls of our electricity network. ...1 week ago
- Ngarewa-Packer devastated for Ruapehu following WPI closure
Te Pāti Māori Co-Leader and MP for Te Tai Hauāuru is devastated for the Ruapehu community following today’s decision to close two Winstone Pulp mills. “My heart goes out to all the workers, their whānau, and the wider Ruapehu community affected by the closure of Winstone Pulp International,” said Ngarewa-Packer. ...1 week ago
- Release: Cabinet should stop the Treaty Principles Bill
National Party Ministers have a majority in Cabinet and can stop David Seymour’s Treaty Principles Bill, which even the Prime Minister has described as “divisive and unhelpful.” ...1 week ago
- Release: Staff gagged to keep fast track list secret
The National Government is so determined to hide the list of potential projects that will avoid environmental scrutiny it has gagged Ministry for the Environment staff from talking about it. ...1 week ago
- Release: Labour challenges Te Whatu Ora gag orders
Labour has complained to the Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission about the high number of non-disclosure agreements that have effectively gagged staff at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ from talking about anything relating to their work. ...1 week ago
- Greens call on Treaty Principles Bill to be abandoned after letter from Christian leaders
The Green Party is once again urging the Prime Minister to abandon the Treaty Principles Bill as a letter from more than 400 Christian leaders calls for the proposed legislation to be dropped. ...1 week ago
- Sign the petition: Keep military-style firearms off our streets
Help us tell the Government that reintroducing military-style firearms should not be up for debate. ...2 weeks ago
- Vast majority of councils support Māori wards
Councils across the country have now decided where they stand regarding Māori wards, with a resounding majority in favour of keeping them in what is a significant setback for the Government. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Government on the wrong side of Māori wards
The National-led government has been given a clear message from the local government sector, as almost all councils reject the Government’s bid to treat Māori wards different to other wards. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki
The Labour Party congratulates Kuīni Ngā Wai hono i te po Paki on being crowned as the eighth Te Ariki Nui – head of Te Kiingitanga. ...2 weeks ago
- Green Party welcomes new Maaori Kuiini
The Green Party welcomes the coronation of the new Maaori Kuiini, Te Arikinui Nga Wai Hono i te Po, today in Turangawaewae. ...2 weeks ago
- ECE teachers deserve better than this Government
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https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/350415345/rally-and-fight-unfair-te-ahu-turanga-tolling
The good people of the Manawatu are going to fight the dirty nats double dipping money grab.
Aah the rewards for voting in Midgetman and his cronies. Just understand the only infrastructure the CoC will build will be toll roads. Meh if a deathnote book dropped in my lap my biggest problem would be writers cramp.
Not just us in the 'Tu.
Tararua residents are going to be hit hard too. $8.60 a round trip to get access to hospital, education, jobs, cinema, sports etc.
From yr link; "After years of paying out, and mother nature closing the Gorge Road, we’re finally getting our fair share.
For years our region’s fuel taxes have helped build Auckland’s toll-free Waterview Tunnel, the toll-free Kāpiti Expressway, the toll-free Waikato Expressway, the toll-free Transmission Gully, toll-free Christchurch motorway — you get the picture. Toll free."
Here is our local MP email to contact to have yr say;
Suze.Redmayne@parliament.govt.nz
or
Debbie.Ngarewa-Packer@parliament.govt.nz
Wairarapa MPs:
Mike.Butterick@parliament.govt.nz
or
Kieran.Mcanulty@parliament.govt.nz
or
Cushla.Tangaere-Manuel@parliament.govt.nz
At the very least ypu should be able to claim back your rucs or full tax you've paid a toll, !
The best option is just to raise fuel taxs .
I don't disagree.
Most domestic users of the road are either disinclined or lack the means to claim back or write off the tolls.
I don't want to have anything to do with IRD…
It's not just hospitals, it's general practices as well. South of Napier/Hastings and north of Martinborough/Featherston there are only two general practices taking enrolments (at Dannevirke and Pahiatua). The only alternative is Palmerston North. And Palmy is super expensive already for GP consults – average fee is $40+ for someone without a community services card. A round trip toll of $16 plus 3 medicines on prescription at $15 and that's $71 a pop. Add in the cost of petrol…
The road was conceived, designed and budgetted during the previous National government, most of the actual physical work was done in the previous Labour government. National at no time, until now, even hinted that it might be a toll road and Labour never mentioned it either. Of course that was before the 2017 election so it all adds up to a big swindle.
Should we be surprised?
Getting rid of the light vehicle toll and keeping the heavy / commercial vehicle toll in place would be the way forward. The trucks will do the most damage and the time / vehicle wear saved compared to the alternate routes make it a win from a commercial standpoint.
I agree. In fact increase the commercial levy.
There is an essentially uninterrupted rail link running Hawkes Bay/ Wairarapato the Manawatu.p
Yea IMO its always seemed completely unfair to RUC light diesel vans/utes . Of the ICE vehicles light diesel are efficient and quite economical. And do not damage the roads like truck/trailers do..
nat Steven Joyce
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/change-lifts-truck-load-limit-to-53-tonnes/O2ARXF3BQRBBRTJWMAZY2TDX5U/
“NZ roads are not coping with heavier trucks”.
https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO1910/S00094/nz-roads-will-never-cope-with-heavier-trucks.htm
Trucks not paying ‘fair share
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2022/03/22/trucks-not-paying-fair-share/
Its not unfair its because the normal taxes that are built into the petrol price arent applied to diesel. Basically it recognizes alot of our diesel is used 'off road'. Other countries use coloured diesel for 'off road' use and basically run around dipping tanks and big fines to ensure complaince. No perfect system…
Meh. I was talking light diesel vans/utes. Also unlike you I did link to the actual road damage problem vehicles.
So you're saying light diesels should pay nothing towards the roads etc? you know rucs vary by vehicle weight right?
Granted the charges at the top end are heavily subsidized by everyone else.
Or have you got an alernate system to put forward?
Huh? No, only you are saying that. And attributing it to me?! I said ..nothing of the sort. And, as I said (unlike you) I have linked to the damage trucks and associated heavy transport cause to our NZ roads.
Which I have previously done..many times on the Standard.
Alternate system ? The vehicles that actually do the damage should pay for their damage….
And again, as I have said (and linked) many times, NZ needs Coastal Shipping and RAIL.
Anyway here you go….
You said it's unfair that light diesel vehicles pay road user charges.
They do so because the various taxes aren't levied at the pump on diesel as they are on petrol. Hence these taxes need to be captured via road user charges.
Still waiting for you to explain why it's unfair light diesels pay road user charges.
Well..you'll be waiting a long time for that : )
I will leave you to it . Maybe read my Links for understanding
Yawn, your links don't explain why you think light diesel vehicles shouldn’t pay road user charges. Given RUC are the way light diesel vehicles contribute to the land transport fund why do you think its unfair.
You can follow the link below to see which taxes are levied at pump.
https://www.mbie.govt.nz/building-and-energy/energy-and-natural-resources/energy-generation-and-markets/liquid-fuel-market/duties-taxes-and-direct-levies-on-motor-fuels-in-new-zealand
53 ton trucks do a 1000 times the damage to roads compared to a family saloon.
And those 53 tonners should pay 1000x the toll, 20 cents vs $20 bucks.
Wonder what headlines and airspace Seymore get's this week he is definitely hogging the headlines lately.
Seymour and Simeon …it's hell on wheels.
Anyone seen the bid by private early childhood centre owners to remove kindergartens from the State sector, remove teacher quilification requirements and pay parity, and other totally self interested demands.
Education body calls for overhaul of early learning rules, 'ineffective' teacher to child ratios (msn.com)
The opposite should happen. Enough Kindergarten places funded for all children. And cut out the private equity ticket clipping middlemen.
The sector is A foretast of the fuckup charter schools will be.
Motivation/Its just Business…
Simon..Laube. (Not too sure how much skin he has in it all ?)
Who some of them are…
Some just seem..if not quite straight up….borderline dodgy. Theres the Wright/Riiight…Family Foundation
On the pigs back !?
And how many others? The Porse guy ($4 Mill holiday home in Wanaka) Theres quite a bit more on him…just search.
There's gold in them thar Early Child Care….for profit… Centres.
The Platform supports the political right and the political right supports the ECE sector – the tax credits for those with 2-3 year olds in them, which allows higher charge rates (unlike Labour's free hours approach).
The agenda to reduce the pay to teachers and take kindergartens (limited hours) and standard pay for teachers out of the state supported education sector
These are of an era where women did not work till children went to primary school or worked part-time (morning or afternoon).
https://www.kiwifamilies.co.nz/articles/kindergarten/
The only thing, I would agree with them on is teaching hours in the ECE
Say 9-3 as per primary schools – 9-11, then break and lunch and then 1-3 teaching.
The before 9 and after 3, for outdoor play, indoor activities and personal reading.
What do you mean by "teaching hours"? A lot of the early learning for under fives is through play and interaction and communication with adults and young children, which allows for direct physical experiences and exploration with a range of materials and activities. During these relatively informal activities it's beneficial if adults communicate with the children, engaging them with talk about what they are doing and modelling appropriate language use, taking into account the stage of the child's language and cognitive development.
Generally a lot of early childhood education is conducted through structured play. rather than through direct, formal 'teaching'.
And isn't all that best done my a parent/grandparent or other close relative?
I can't help think we are talking about a symptom rather than dealing with the problem.
The problem being a low wage environment, low union membership in a high migration country.
Exacerbated by a lack of a political party that first and foremost represents workers.
A lot of that early learning can happen in the home or local community.
Yes, the low wage environment is a problem. Good ECE requires higher wages and state subsidies to be effective. Good training in ECE really is on the same level as a lot of training of tradies, but, the ECE workers earn far less.
The low staff-child ratio is very important and costly, and that is why private ECE centers will try to up the staff-child ratio and pay as little as they can get away with. It's very hard to make a profit from good ECE.
Yea, have to say I didnt realise quite how involved/networked they were until reading about the Best Start/Wright family/Platform connections. What interesting people…..
IMO the crux of it (The ECE for Profit..) seems to be make as much as you can….while you can. despite how they dress it up..its just literally a Business.
And the Wright family fund Sean Plunkett's channel The Platform.
Well, if ECE is going to look like school and act like school, maybe the entire sector should be brought into the state system…
That has already occurred, with the rules for trained teachers (the 20 free hours is close as to the teaching hours in kindergartens).
The ECC represents the "charter school faction" of the part "state funded" early childhood education.
It's continuing separation from kindergarten is in the extra hours factor – child care.
That said, there is existing (OSCAR) before and after school care, and that could include 7-9 and 3-5 for those in ECE.
My late mother would be very upset by this. She taught at the Kindergarten Teacher's College when it was in Arney Road in Remuera, and was at various times President of the Auckland Kindergarten Association and Vice President of the New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union. We were brought up as "Kindy Kids", and it was a very important part of the social fabric of our suburb.
These days – it it all about the $$$$$$$. "Baby Farming" as a business.
New Zealanders who voted to change the government a year ago should expect more than perpetual recession and growing unemployment.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/gdp-preview-rolling-maul-recession-as-economy-contracts-again/G4N4ET74K5AUPLTCEQS53ZPILA/
I've been probing some business people here about the specifics of Labour's 'mismanagement' of the economy, like what did they do that wrecked the, and their economy.
Full employment, so not being able to get staff, and work coming in at nearly twice the rate that the business can produce was a mismanaged economy. When they voted these people wanted a recession so they could have an easier life, be able to get easily managed staff, and not have to work 8 days a week to meet their contracts. In 2023 that was all "HER" fault because "SHE" wouldn't let the economy crash through covid, and yet in 2020 they were very happy that the Government had supported their business through covid and NZ was in better shape than most other countries.
I'm waiting for the penny to drop.
Well this is what New Zealanders wanted and have voted for, unfortunately we had a Labour Government under Ardern and Chipkins who did not have a plan for NZ or the Economy.
Chipkins… is this the latest cutsie nickname for Hipkins in rw social media? David S gets called by lw posters here by his full name, I haven't seen any cutsie contractions for him here. Perhaps you would be similarly respectful for Hipkins?
Actually David Seymour has long had a nickname here. Often called Rimmer because of some alleged shared personality traits and appearance with a TV character
I thought "Rimmer" referred to where his nose resides?
That is in the past. These days that brown-nose context of ‘Rimmer’ would probably be inappropriate in a political sense. Unless you were looking at who funds Act because I understand he is still acts obsequiously in that context.
'Rimmer' when using it in a brown-nose context would be more appropriate when referring to Luxon in his role as erstwhile leader of the governing coalition.
Passed completely over my head, lprent.
My italics, lol.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Rimmer
The person on the left is a younger David Seymour with an 'H' added, the one on the right is Arnold Judas Rimmer
See Muttonbird's comment about the fictional Rimmer. A J Rimmer was a holographic character after dying in the first episode and being resurrected as hologram operated by the computer. He was required to have a 'H' on his forehead so that he was not confused with meat characters.
why? national and act campaigned on making people unemployed and homeless , national voters are getting what they wanted
As I have posted before. Fitch, Standard and Poor's and Moody's all thought Labour was doing a good job with the economy.
Should we really believe Luxon and Willis's blather instead?
They also gave those subprime mortages that set off the gfc aaa ratings.
No, that’s exactly what those people voted for, willingly and knowingly.
https://thespinoff.co.nz/politics/16-10-2023/winners-losers-big-losers-and-gigantic-losers-from-the-2023-general-election
It’s all part of the cunning masterplan of this neo-authoritarian coalition government, which includes the dropping of the dual mandate of the RBNZ to take employment in consideration when setting monetary policy.
“New Zealanders who voted to change the government a year ago should expect more than perpetual recession and growing unemployment.”
The voters can rightly claim they never knew – because the MSM never deigned to tell them.
This lot is completely on the MSM, who have reduced politics to pure political gossip. No substance. No understanding of the limits on state action or the cause and effect of external and internal events. No policy debates, let alone any attempt to analyse the policy mainsprings of Luxon’s Cameronian modern “conservatism”. Just a constant retelling of who says what to whom. The election campaign was an exercise in complete journalistic surrender by our main free to air outlets, who abandoned the playing fields of facts and analysis for gossip and left it to Topham-Guerin to blitz the vibes on social media. It is astonishing that in 2024 the MSM continues to pretend tik-tok doesn’t exist.
The fact is, even the most cursory journalistic blacklight on National’s agenda would have revealed the grubby, sticky stains of David Cameron’s Conservatives and George Osborne’s endless recession everywhere on National’s policy mattress. It was all there. The trips to the UK policy exchange, the use of Topham-Guerin’s culture war playbook on social media, George Osborne’s appearance at National’s retreats, the seamless cronyism of National’s relationship with certain late capitalist rentier sectors. All it would have taken was a modicum of imagination and a bit of courage from someone in the MSM to have asked the right questions.
Journalistic imagination and courage? Better cancel that Herald subscription.
Mayor Brown suggests a bridge from Meola Reef to Kauri Pt. is much cheaper option for a second harbour crossing than a tunnel.
I would like to suggest that this necessary second harbour crossing be rail (and pedestrian/cyle), only viaduct.
For several reasons:
Ease vehicle congestion on the Auckland roading network.
Lessen vehicle emissions and other environmental and air quality harms.
Easy connection to the North Western rail link.
Smaller foot print compared to a roading link. Less housing demolitions in the built up suburb of Northcote, and less clear felling in the Kauri Pt. reserve.
lin
Can be built in two paralell sections, with single rail line, with provison for a second line depending on demand. (the same way the North Western rail line operated for decades in the past, and even more recently)
Viaduct, less visual impact than a roading bridge, on the iconic look of the Waitemata.
Ability to move thousands more commuters than a road link.
Even cheaper, slender profile viaduct, rail/cycle/pedestrian only
National crowing about a significant drop in crime in Auckland CBD due to increased police patrols.
Of course the f…n crime rate will go down when there are more police on the beat! – I have been saying this only for the last two decades. Is this a new thing that only National have thought of?
The question is when they will extend the extra police to the rest of New Zealand where it is needed just as badly?
Labour is saying the extra police have been brought in from other suburbs. Wonder what the crime stats for those burbs are? I think we should be told.
Think of it this way, if a smaller town has virtually no crime or very little, and say 10 police officers, why not move five of the officers to CBD where there is too much crime.
If crime starts to increase in the small town, move two officers back (or possibly three).
Yeah, nah.
National is failing on bringing down violent crime. Aiming to reduce numbers by 20,000 they have, in fact, gone up 30,000.
"Luxon noted the target of reducing violent crime was of "particular concern" though, with the results showing almost 30,000 more people have experienced violent crime."
Playing wackamole with moving cops ain't going to solve anything and it's only going to piss off an already disenfranchised constabulary.
Sorting out inequality, poverty, getting folk connected to a home, family, community and a job is how you sort crime. All the cops, prisons and crackdowns doesn't change a thing.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/528135/government-at-risk-of-not-meeting-two-of-its-nine-public-service-targets
"Of course the f…n crime rate will go down when there are more police on the beat! "
You should have told Ginny that when she was there. Although she even had trouble with the number of foot patrols. A lot of crime in CBD, so they have put more resources there to try and fix. And it annoys you that it is working?
Of course criminals will now try their luck in other areas so it will become like a game of 'whack a mole' but this lot are actually doing something about the crime. All good and what I voted for. Now the judges need to be told to get tougher with the sentencing once these people are caught so there is less re-offending especially while on home D. Teach them that there is consequences and an actual punishment for committing a crime.
One swallow does not a summer bring.
A lot more needed before National can claim victory. Even they admit that.
"One swallow does not a summer make" I think was the original saying. But yes, I think we can all agree there is a lot of work to be done on crime in NZ. But this is a positive sign that finally something is starting to be done about it. Like the crack down on gangs, that certainly won't be solved over night. But another saying comes to mind "Slowly, slowly catchy monkey".
If the police start doing their bit and catching the offenders, and then the judges start doing their bit and not discounting everything down to under 2 years and thus home D, we may slowly start reducing the crime rate.
You've bought completely into the Nats' law'n order message, about punitive vs rehabilitative justice. Did you ever consider that a less prison-oriented justice system would improve outcomes?
"The cost of prisons is contrasted with the cost-effectiveness of early intervention and prevention of crime, including making sure the system is responsive to
the needs of victims and ensuring that we will have fewer victims of crime. The complex risks
and vulnerabilities that are associated with criminal-justice involvement are reviewed,
especially mental health issues and intergenerational trauma"
Report from office of NZ Chief Scientist, 2018 on building a better justice system.
We are suffering more violent crime in NZ because of meth, an addictive drug common in the community. NZ missed out on the damage of a heroin or crack trade in the 80s and 90s, unlike Oz and Europe.
Addicts, especially meth addicts undergoing psychosis, will steal and neglect or harm their families. Highly addictive drugs, like alcohol, nicotine, souped up amphetimines and opiates are a goldmine for suppliers. Outside the law, that leads to cartel in-fighting and violent death.
Narco-states are not limited to South America. These days, even Europe is caught up in narco violence to a much greater degree:
"Historically, the greatest burden of violent crime associated with the drug market has been borne by producer and transit countries outside of the European Union, and this remains the case. However, in Europe, particularly in countries where large volumes of drugs are known to enter or be produced, levels of violence associated with the drug trade appear to be increasing. Accompanying this, concerns are also growing about the recruitment and exploitation of juveniles by criminal networks involved in the illicit drugs trade."EU 2024 report.
To blame previous non-Nat governments for being soft on crime is wrong. We'll just hear more government PR, and I doubt their approach will improve the stats across all our society.
And this government will be working to more private profit-led prisons, who have zero intetest in rehabilitation.
All Mark Mitchell's silly numbers tell us is that if you saturate a small area with police and move the unhoused out of the area, certain crimes in that same area will be somewhat reduced. Wow, what prescient genius from Marky boy! Can it be rolled out across the whole country simultaneously? No. Does it have any systemic effect that will see it achieve the same results, but with gradually reducing inputs (people, money) over time? No, it has zero scalability. Does Marky get a headline that fools the gullible? Yes.
Mitchell and Luxon continue to insult our intelligence at every turn.
Twelve months ago France's EDF was re-nationalised and voila…
.
Electricity bills for millions of households in France are set to drop by around 10% to 15%, as global energy prices continue to fall.
Households on the standard regulated electricity tariff (tarif bleu) with EDF will see price falls when the bi-annual re-evaluation of rates comes into force in February 2025.
Those on other contracts, which are not tied to a regulated tariff (around 17.5 million households and businesses) may also see prices drop but this will depend on their supplier.
https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/electricity-bills-set-to-fall-by-around-10-for-millions-of-households-in-france/678155
Who needs to win debates?
This sort of press coverage on these sorts of events is worth way more than any policy, costings or even a plan.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/world-news/350416392/live-man-accused-attempting-assassination-donald-trump-his-golf-course
Your link gsays is way better than my one! Crazy stuff alright, I noted Tim Walz comment about this “is not who we are” but it is exactly what a gun saturated USA is.
The key detail was whether there was any shot at the former POTUS.
As there was not, they will now have to identify motive/intent.
The need to identify intent, is up there with the early "glass from the teleprompter" from the first episode: largely irrelevant.
Not at all. Because this is now a court matter, and the evidence indicates what charges can be laid.
Court schmourt, still doesn't matter.
I'm talking about the election.
But I think you know that.
You responded to my comment 9.1.1.
The Secret Service, in this case, is doing better than last time.
Apparently one of the men in black sunglasses saw the rifle barrel sticking out of the shrubbery.
They saw the gun on the roof last time. No permission to shoot till after the gunman fired off shots.
These alleged would be Trump shooters seem to be as accurate as Star Wars Troopers!
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-is-safe-following-gunshots-his-vicinity-says-campaign-2024-09-15/
Brian Easton is plugging away with well thought analysis this time a long term plan for Labour to plot a new path. For example:
https://www.pundit.co.nz/content/uk57vjkcc0ews0af8rgs6qymjn5bpp#google_vignette
The fuckers knew their rhetoric would result in property damage, vandalised cars, and bomb threats and school evacuations.
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, the Ohio senator claimed the pet eating stories he has been pushing are “verifiable” — but also said this:
https://www.mediaite.com/news/remarkable-confession-jd-vance-absolutely-floors-observers-with-comment-that-hes-been-creating-stories-about-migrant-pet-eating/
cartoon of Zelenskiy and Putin clock-watching
Christopher Luxon has yet to agree to an interview on Q&A, the political interview programme on our national tv station, after nearly a year in government. What is he hiding from? The tough questions will only increase.
Over on Batshit & Hide, things are getting desperate as racist white boomers rail against modernity and prepare to make their last stand.
Central to their evidence New Zealanders want to rewrite the Treaty is the results of one poll:
The poll I assume was one conducted by the now discredited polling company, Curia, owned by the similarly discredited pollster David Farrar. Only weeks ago Curia and Farrar resigned from the New Zealand's only polling industry organisation, RANZ, after multiple claims of corrupt practice.
Yet this so called evidence, based on a very probably fraudulent poll, is what they are using to attempt to usher in clearly racist legislation.
https://www.bassettbrashandhide.com/post/michael-bassett-why-are-loud-mouths-frightened-about-the-principles-of-the-treaty